Jaffa Orange Merchants Seek Cut in Egypt’s Fruit Tariff

December 17, 1930

Jaffa (Dec. 16)

The orange merchants of Jaffa today voted to ask the Palestine government to make representations to the Egyptian government to reduce its tariff on Palestine oranges. Should the Egyptian government fail to modify its duties the Jaffa merchants are prepared to demand an increased tariff on Egyptian products coming into Palestine.

Egypt sells millions of dollars of goods to Palestine annually while Palestine products sold in Palestine are small compared with Egyptian sales in Palestine. The Egyptian tariff on Palestinian fruits is believed to be in retaliation against a recent Palestine import duty on vegetables and other produce from Egypt.

Meanwhile the Palestine government is negotiating with Turkey regarding its dumping of many products on the Palestine market while Turkey imports but little from Palestine.